Here's a place where I can post my thoughts on new papers, provide updates on my projects, and post info that will eventually be on my website The Theropod Database - http://theropoddatabase.com/ . It will center on theropods, but may delve into other topics as well such as phylogenetics.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Database update plus Predatory Dinosaurs of the World with phylogenetic nomenclature

Among the "Theropod Odds and Ends", Taquet's (1984) taxon has yet to be redescribed but seems to be a coelophysoid, "Labrosaurus" ferox is agreed to be an allosaurid/Allosaurus specimen and maybe a portion of the A. fragilis neotype. (Magnosaurus) nethercombensis is a megalosauroid, possibly afrovenatorine. (Duriavenator) hesperis is a megalosaurid. Xuanhanosaurus seems to be a metriacanthosaurid. Iliosuchus may be a basal tyrannosauroid or other basal coelurosaurian, which is debated for taxa known from far more than only ilia. Stokesosaurus is universally agreed to be a basal tyrannosauroid. Finally, Segisaurus is agreed to be a coelophysoid closer to Coelophysis than Dilophosaurus.

Oh, and I updated the Database this month, but less than usual due to coding more in the Lori matrix. Besides the last sauropodomorph entry (Ignavusaurus ?= Massospondylus), a couple braincases were added to the Bissekty tyrannosauroid(s?) and named Timurlengia. Wonder where this falls out in the new tyrannosauroid matrix of Brusatte and Carr (2016). The Pierre Shale hesperornithoids of Manitoba were clarified by Aotsuka and Sato (2016), with the description of a new species. Segnosaurus' mandible was also redescribed (Zanno et al., 2016), which I hope is the first of many therizinosaurian redescriptions from them. It's quite an odd specimen, exhibiting a coronoid process like oviraptorosaurs, no posterior surangular ridge or foramen and TRIcarinate posterior dentary teeth. Yes, unlike (?)any other theropod, Segnosaurus has a lingual carina with serrations (see above).

References- Taquet, 1984. Two new Jurassic specimens of coelurosaurs (Dinosauria). In Hecht,
Ostrom, Viohl and Wellnhofer (eds.). The Beginnings of Birds: Proceedings of
the International Archaeopteryx Conference, Eichstaett. 229-232.